DWIGHT, Ill. — The Village of Dwight Emergency Medical Services has purchased and placed a new LUCAS Chest Compression System into service with support from a $20,000 federal grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. Both staffed Dwight EMS ambulances now carry this lifesaving equipment for cardiac arrest emergencies.

Dwight EMS provides Advanced Life Support ambulance service to approximately 13,000 residents across 253 square miles, including Dwight, Odell, Ransom, Emington, Campus, Blackstone, and surrounding rural communities.

“Before applying for this grant, we surveyed our EMS providers to learn what equipment they felt was most needed,” said Dustin Campbell, EMS Director for the Village of Dwight. “Having a LUCAS device on both staffed ambulances was a clear priority for our crews. With the new device now in service, we can provide that equipment throughout our response area, regardless of which ambulance responds.”

The LUCAS system delivers mechanical chest compressions during CPR, helping crews provide consistent compressions while reducing the physical demands on responders caring for a patient in cardiac arrest.

The federal award requires a local contribution of at least $1,000. Grant funding helps Dwight EMS acquire essential equipment while preserving local resources for staffing, ambulance operations, medical supplies, and other emergency service needs.

“We are grateful for this federal support and the investment in the communities we serve,” Campbell said. “This grant helped us meet a need identified by the people delivering emergency care every day.”